Hampering traffic: Balochistan MPAs rail against roadblocks

Resolution urges NHA, FC to remove checkpoints on highways.

QUETTA:

Lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly have called upon the National Highway Authority (NHA), Frontier Corps and other government institutions to remove all obstacles, including checkpoints and speed-breakers to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the province.

A resolution was tabled by provincial minister Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani, censuring NHA and government institutions for hampering flow of traffic on highways by making speed-breakers and other obstacles that were damaging vehicles and causing inconvenience to people.

“Decent and properly designed checkpoints should be erected with proper signboards warning motorists and other road users, wherever necessary,” Shahwani said during the session.

He said all speed breakers established on highways were illegal and meant to harass commuters. He claimed, security agencies extorted money from truck drivers.

PkMAP MPA Abdul Hamid Achakzai said that authorities should check all illegal or smuggled goods at the borders, instead of harassing people, as women and children are stopped for hours on the pretext of search for smuggled goods.

He also claimed that most trucks and motorists were robbed at speed-breakers and checkpoints, adding that even kidnappings for ransom had taken place by criminals and law breakers at these points.

Two MPAs defended these checkpoints, claiming the attacks on FC had reduced considerably after establishing the checkpoints.

Two bills passed unanimously

Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly unanimously passed the Balochistan Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2013 and the Balochistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill 2013, on Friday.

Provincial minister Abdul Raheem Ziaratwal moved both the bills in the provincial assembly session.

The Balochistan government had earlier already promulgated its laws, including the Local Government Act 2010, however, the same provisions needed to be further amended in view of ECP’s recommendations of holding polls on a party basis.

Earlier, three newly elected MPAs took oath.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2013.